The word is that if you want to visit the popular national parks like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon you have to plan a year in advance because the accommodations get booked up.

When we decided to take a last minute cross country drive last summer, I thought we might have to skip Yellowstone. In a panic, I started looking into how to get accommodations about a week before our arrival. Sure enough, all the rooms were booked for the two nights we wanted to stay in the park. But, in the end, it all worked out and we had an amazing stay. It was definitely worth it. Read on for my best tips for booking last minute accommodations at Yellowstone and other national parks.

Yes, the beaches are beautiful in the Hamptons and North Fork, but sooner or later, your family is going to be looking for something else to do this summer. For a change of pace and a chance for your kids to brush up on their golf and baseball bat swings, or just get out of the sun, we’ve rounded up a list of family-friendly mini golf courses, batting cages and indoor fun like arcades out east.

Most places have snack bars and some offer other amenities such as boat rentals so you can make a whole day of it.

For more fun activities on the east end, be sure to check out our guide to the Hamptons and North Fork and our listing of kayak, canoe, and paddle board rental places. And when your family is ready to hit the beach again, we found the best beaches for families on Long Island. Have fun!

New Yorkers often bemoan rapid changes to old-school spots such as Coney Island, where recent "upgrades" seem to have wiped away the grit and charm of old Gotham. Anyone who yearns for the New York of yesteryear needs to head directly to Playland in Rye, New York. Somehow, the amusement park in southern Westchester, in operation since 1928, has managed to revitalize itself with modern standards while maintaining the original charm of the last century. It’s among the most underrated gems for summer fun in the area.

You have successfully purchased your ticket(s) to the Mommy Poppins Summer Brain Quest Kickoff Party on Saturday, May 20 from 12-4pm at Luna Park. 

When you arrive at Luna Park you will see a Mommy Poppins tent. Join us for some fun activities and we will give you your goody bags and a voucher to claim your wristband at the Luna Park ticket window.

The wrist bands are good for 4 hours from when you claim them at the Luna Park ticket window.

No place in NYC says summer more than Luna Park and Coney Island: so we thought it'd be the perfect place to host a Mommy Poppins Summer Brain Quest Kickoff Party!

You don’t have to be a fan of the hit Discovery Channel show MythBusters to love the new exhibit at Liberty Science Center. Like the television show, the exhibit is fun, exciting, educational and, yes, a bit wacky. The 100% interactive MythBusters: The Explosive Exhibit lets visitors become MythBusters to confirm or deny myths as they test them out for themselves in exhibits that will have them running, swinging and dodging bullets. Don’t miss this super fun exhibit. Educational fun: Confirmed!

If you have a little one you probably need no introduction to PAW Patrol, the hit Nickelodeon animated TV series. But did you know that PAW Patrol is coming to Boston in the first-ever live theater show for the pups of Adventure Bay? Thanks to our Mommy Poppins team in Los Angeles, we already have the inside scoop on the show with a parent-written review. But, even better, we're giving away four tickets to the show at the Boch Center's Wang Theatre right here in Boston. See contest details below. PAW Patrol Live!: Race to the Rescue will be in Boston for only two days and the show will likely sell out, so don't delay in snatching up your tickets. 

When I was in first grade a child was killed crossing Seventh Avenue on his way to school by a speeding truck. So, I remember my first protest well. Just a handful of us, moms and kids, walking in a tight circle with signs and chanting to demand a crossing guard. We got that crossing guard and a lesson was learned: Even as kids, we could have a voice and make a difference.

America has been on tenterhooks this election season. It has caused much "unfriending" and, perhaps, drawn even more stark lines between groups. On Saturday, however, I saw Facebook friends from all backgrounds coming together at the Women's Marches across the country and the world. I even saw some who voted for Trump, but wanted to stand for women's rights and also listen to the other side! But of everyone out there, the thing that struck me the most was seeing all the children.

We may never agree on any of the political issues facing this nation, but one thing I hope we can all agree on is that these children are amazing and are learning that you're never too young to enjoy this country's most important freedoms of speech and peaceful protest. Whatever "sides" they may choose to take, I hope this is just the beginning for our daughters (and our sons) to feel powerful, valuable, and able to take constructive action to raise their voices, not to yell and name call, but to try to improve the world for all of us together.